Not just the one man then

but more, in a system created by one man that made it easy for him to commit abuse?

AP Exclusive: Vatican eyes Legion priests on abuse

Have the files on these 7 priests been given to the secular authorities? These weren't just possible crimes against the Church, but against people. Is the Vatican still not aware of the proper way to deal with these things, out and in the open? Can they be so dense?

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What is this all about?

He's either taking the prayers for 'the office of Bishops' in each new Mass translation too seriously, or something else is happening. One doesn't make an apology for something so serious and then say that they shouldn't have apologized.

Egan's remarks on priest abuse scandal draw fire

The people who are out to destroy the Church as it is are always looking for more ammunition.

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Both the Church

and the media seem to have taken a 'guilty until proven innocent' position (or, rather, a 'guilty even after proven innocent' position) on this issue.

Falsely Accused Priest: 'My Life Has Been Ruined'

It appears that in this case the diocesan position is that if you've been accused at any time, you're guilty no matter what. So go away.

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A story

about a very overlooked group.

A Book Every Priest Needs to Read: Catholic Priests Falsely Accused

I'm making no judgments about any particular individual or situation in this instance. All I know is that there have been a pretty high number of false accusations of abuse by priests that have been proven false, yet we don't hear much if anything about them. They should have their audience as well...

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I'm glad he fought back

Wronged Irish priest says life was horrific after accusation of rape

"
DNA test revealed he did not father teenager’s child in Africa"

Every time this sort of thing happens they should take it to court. It's too easy for both the media and individuals to fall into the 'he's been accused, so he must be guilty' mentality that believes the accuser before the accused is convicted...

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The person writing this

asks a very good question in this opinion piece.

Celeb’s Hollywood Pedophilia Stunner Met With Media Whimper

The last sentence is the truest statement made...

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Irony?

Charlotte man who called himself 'Anti-Christ' gets 666 months after convicted of 6 sex crimes

In this case the punishment not only fits the crime, it fits the criminal...

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As usual,

the media distorts the news in order to get their soundbite...

John Jay investigator criticizes bad reporting about abuse report

"Aw, c'mom, we need to get the news item in in under 140 characters! How do you expect us to report otherwise?"

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This isn't surprising

Scientologist charged for 'intimidating' alleged sex abuse victim

Ex-members have alleged this sort of thing for many years, and it has been claimed that Scientology has intimidated many members and ex-members into silence for many things. It's a proof that the internet has had a real and significant effect on the way Scientology operates that someone is charging a high-ranking member publicly. It's a good thing.

For more information on Scientology, visit:
The Secrets of Scientology
and www.xenu.net

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Such a sad time...

As far as the event itself, there's likely right and wrong on both sides. But hindsight is so perfectly focused.

18 years after Waco, Davidians believe Koresh was God

I believe they're wrong, but I also believe that we need to pray for them and for all the Branch Davidians. We're all too often quick to point out the law, and all to often slow to respond in love...

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Journalists

who rely on the internet for their sources really need to go back to journalism school.

Richard Cohen Smears Priests

Unless they're now teaching that everything you read on the internet is true, of course. That would take the onus of them for checking their sources...

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A very good question

What are we missing in this horrible story?

It is a horrible story, and one that should make us look at how our attempts toward tolerance of other faiths and cultures should never be tolerance for things that are hurtful, demeaning and criminal in their culture or behaviour. And it should be pointed out and discussed, not glossed over or kept silent about...

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More bankruptcy

Milwaukee's Catholic archdiocese files for bankruptcy

"Sexual abuse lawsuits are cited as the reason. 'Priest-perpetrators sexually abused minors, going against everything the church and the priesthood represent,' the archbishop says."

This is happening more and more often now. On one level I think it may be a good thing, as it drives the Church back into a concern for what is really going on and what is really important in the parishes, and a greater concern for the people and for justice. On another level I find it quite disquieting. Everything in our culture has come down to a dollar value, and not only that, but the courts are being used, I think deliberately, to try to destroy religious institutions for vindictive reasons and not in the cause of justice. Don't get me wrong, I have great sympathy for those victimize and disgust at the perpetrators and those who covered it up, but when you see law firms advertising their ability to get you money for your complaints it's pretty obvious what the focus is...

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The embattled...

...Pope.


Amid Church Abuse Scandal, an Office That Failed to Act

I hope that those in other positions of authority - police, education, media, etc. - take note of what is happening in the Catholic Church, by both haters and media. Eventually they will turn on them, as well. Once their hatred of the Catholic Church is sated, if ever that occurs...

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Personally,

I'm getting a little tired of every protest group airing public opinions about anything the Catholic Church does. I know controversy sells papers, but...

Controversial Que. cardinal promoted to Rome

Some group said he had refused to apologize? Where? When? What was the context? Is this what makes the CBC include 'controversial' in the headline?

Alas, I fear that none of these groups will ever be satisfied, despite their claims to the contrary, until all Catholic priests are publicly beheaded in the village square and all the assets of the Catholic church sold off and split between anyone who has claimed abuse. Oh, and all the Catholic nuns in the world are hung, as well, 'cus we all know how terrible and evil they are!

Not to minimize any true suffering, but 'Bah! Humbug!'.

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It's only because

it's the Catholic Church.

Austrian Catholics ramp up quest for church reform

Some of their concerns and criticisms are valid. They're just tired of the Church taking centuries to make changes. Besides, who wants to be directed by the Holy Spirit? We want what WE want, darn it! :-)

The criticisms over abuse are just because the Church is an actual entity that people can focus on. Even though there are statistically more incidents of abuse in education, you can't just pick the nebulous body of 'education' to focus on. It's easier to point at the Catholic Church because a) it's an actual body with a head and a structure, b) the members are supposed to be holy (?!?), and c) it's the Catholic Church, the focus of the last acceptable prejudice in our society.

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Along with the Jews,

the Catholic Church is history's whipping boy...

Anti-Catholicism, Again: The permanent scandal of the Vatican.

I've been active in the Catholic Church all my life, from a young boy as an Altar Boy to an adult as Chair of the Parish Pastoral Council and member of the Diocesan Deanery. I have never been abused by a Catholic priest. Furhter, I might add, I know many, many Catholics, from many, many places the world over, and I have yet to meet one who has been abused by a priest. I'm not saying that they don't exist. I'm just saying that the emphasis is wrong. It's much like the infamous 'burning times'. If the number of women who were killed by authorities as witches during those years are as high as is often claimed, the populaton of Europe would have been decimated...

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I hope

that this is true.

Pope will make historic apology for abuse

"Vatican hopes unprecedented act of penance at June jamboree will defuse anger over worldwide claims"

I do hope that he has something substantial to say about it and not an apology that glosses over things. The Vatican and the Pope have been silent about this for too long, I think hoping that the local diocesan churches could deal with it. They can only deal with their own diocesan members, though, not the media, the non-Catholic public and those who were abused and have left the church. I hope a lot for this apology...

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Some people

who are meeting the Pope themselves, are disagreeing with so much of the media and the Western attitude toward Pope Benedict...

Abuse victim in Malta: Pope Benedict XVI is a 'saint'

Those who want to blame the Pope for everything aren't going to like this...

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A good article...

Seven Ways the Bishops Should Respond to Sex Abuse

The bishops have been hiding or commenting under the guise of solidarity, or 'we'll do our own house cleaning' for too long. They need to comment loudly and definitively, if anyone is to even listen to them. Their current behaviours (though I'm generalizing) have been too little, too late...

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